Trishna Das, a freelance journalist was reportedly harassed by a group of people who appeared to be transgenders. The incident took place in a bus when she was travelling to Goalpara, in Assam on September 13. Trishna shared the disturbing details in a Facebook post. She was verbally abused and threatened with death. When she tried to record the scene, one person spat on her face which was extremely offensive and concerning given the COVID-19 pandemic situation. The CFWIJ demands police take action against the perpetrators and ensure Trisha remains safe.

Journalist Antonella Alba was verbally and physically attacked at a demonstration rally against the COVID safety measures announced by the Italian government. The incident took place on August 28, while Antonella was covering the protest for Rai News 24. The journalist was abused by participants of the rally and incurred physical injuries in a scuffle that took place at the location. The security personnel on the ground had to eventually intervene in order to ensure her safety.

Several protests have erupted in Los Angeles by right wing political organizers ranging from issues like trans rights to covid vaccination programs. However, one thing has remained common: members of the press are unsafe during their coverage. Particularly journalists belonging from socially vulnerable groups find themselves being repeatedly and violently targeted by participants in these rallies.

Journalist Sandi Bachom was targeted with hate speech after sharing her criticism about the anti-Covid-19 vaccination on social media. An anti-vaccine supporter sent her a hateful email questioning her profession and insulted the journalist with misogynistic messages. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) is utterly dismayed by the hate speech against Sandi. We stand in solidarity with Sandi on this matter and demand a prudent approach to journalists working in perverse conditions during the pandemic.

The health of journalist Zhan Zhang is rapidly deteriorating in prison. She was arrested last year in May for reporting on state mismanagement and negligence in their response to the COVID crisis. She was sentenced to four years in prison in December 2020 on charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”. The journalist has pre-existing medical conditions that her family has already raised the alarm on.

Journalist Francesca Scognamiglio Petino received a death threat on her Facebook profile after she shared the government’s notification regarding the Green Pass. The Green Pass is a COVID-19 safety measure restricting movement of the unvaccinated citizens in order to curb the spread of the disease. The institution of the Green Pass has received severe backlash from right-wing political parties in the country, resulting in several journalists feeling unsafe and vulnerable to threats and attacks by supporters of these groups.